Chapter 3: "I'll see you soon..."
Disclaimer:Hmm... Ichiro Oda doesn't believes in love couples, but I do. Since I'm not Ichiro Oda, I guess I couldn't make One Piece. Oh well. ( Tashigi gets stupid and funny and then sad. I had to make her act somewhat out of person bc I want some humor. o()o
Note: For the first time, I tell Zoro's point of view! Finally! He actually has feelings and not just there being all quite! And, just in case you want to know something else about the Chapter, This is longest Chapter, but very good at that! Also, I'm very sorry for not being ableto update!
Tashigi opened her eyes and saw Hina sleeping in a chair beside her bed.The navy haired Marine, placed her hand on her head, palm facing up. She slide up, and looked at the doorway to see Smoker.
"Smoker-san!" She gasped, standing up.
Smoker looked at her and then Hina, who was soundly sleeping and sitting up at the same time. He smiled at Hina and turned his attention to Tashigi, and nodded to let her know to be "at ease."
"You really need to stop with these long days and night sleepings. We're gonna worry her into a colma." He stopped and looked at Hina, whos head position changed, and looked at Tashigi once again. "And if that happens, I'll have to kill you." (HEY! He didn't say "smoke..." at the end! There's hope for him yet!)
Tashigi bowed low to Smoker in hopes for forgiveness.
"Smoker-san, I know where the Straw Hat pirates are located! Please allow me to take a team and see if I'm right."
Smoker's eyes narrowed over to where she bowed. "We have been everywhere trying to find them, and your telling me..."
"Please, sir. Just trust me and you won't be disappointed." She said in a sort of begging way.
"Fine, but you'd better be here before she wakes up. Smoke..." (oh well, I just had to make him say that hope ya don't mind) He said, nudging his head over to Hina.
"Yes Sir." Tashigi ran out.
(no, she's not having another dream)
The waves were smooth and steady as Tashigi's voyage (alone) continued. She was sitting on a chair, staring in intently at her compass. She laughed to herself at the stunt she had pulled.
(Flashback)
Ramdon Marine-Sergent Tashigi, General Smoker told us to prepare a ship for you! Do you know where the Starw Hats are?
Tashigi- Maybe...but you can't go.
Ramdon Marine- Ok... why not? General Smoker already set a crew for you and everything.
Tashigi- I know your wanting to go and your begging and pealing to your every mercy in your body, but I just can't let you go with me.
Ramdon Marine- I understand...
Tashigi- That's a good boy. (pats her cheek)
Ramdon Marine- I AM GRIL!
(end of flashback)
Tashigi stood up from her crouched position and looked striaght ahead. Taking another big glup of Rum, and throwing the bottle into sea. She looked behind her to where she threw the bottle and bent down to the side of the boat.
"OH NO!" She cried. "I'm sorry little fishies! um.. Don't worry, you'll like it!"
She stood up again and walked, throwing her legs in front of her singing, (or rather shouting at the top of her lunges) "A Pirate's life for me"
She swung around and fell onto the bare hard wood floors, facing up at the sky, still kicking her legs like the German army would. (don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with the German army. I'm just trying to get you to see how she's kicking. )
" Do you..."
A voice began but turned into gribber gabber once it reached Tashigi's ears. (Gee, I wonder who it is)
Tashigi began to open her eyes but closed them on the count that there was blinding light in her eyes.The voice came again, but this time clearer.
"Do you like che..."
Still Tashigi couldn't make out the last word.She lifted her head and groaned as her eyes opened to see a tan stick nose in her face.
"Ussop..?"
"You know who I am!" The annoying gunsman asked in shock.
"Wh...? Ussop! Get out of her dream! This is my woman! Go to Kaya!" Shouted another voice...that sounded really much like..
"But Zoro! Tashigi is so much more sexier than Kaya!"
"Go now or forever be dickless!" Zoro thearten, holding up a sword.
Tashigi opened her eyes fully, blushing to what Ussop had said and what Zoro had threatened to do.
"He's gone now, you can wake up." Zoro's sweet voice said. He held out his hand and Tashigi could see it was dried and raw.
"What was he asking?" Tashigi asked, taking Zoro's hand, now not surpised to know that he was in her dream.
"Ugh, something stupid." Zoro scoffed, lifting Tashigi to her feet.
"Well, what was it?"
"Do you like..." He began.
"CHEESE!" Tashigi shouted pointing to table with blood red cloth draped over it.She ran up to the table and began throwing blocks of chesse into her mouth. Zoro stood there wacthing her eat the chesse like it was her last meal.
"Damn, you sure do like cheese." He said, wide eyed, dogdeing cheese chucks that were being thrown by the Marine.
Tashigi looked back at him with a mouth full of cheese and smiles. "Are you kidding! I haven't had cheese since I was a kid!"
"Glade you like." He said walking over her and reaching out for a piece of un-touched cheese.
"Back off!" Tashigi growled, covering the piece as a wolve would it's food.
"Yes mama." He said in a scared voice which made Tashigi snicker in an evil way.
2 hours-
Tashigi groaned as she held her somach sickly. She had eaten every bit of cheese on the table and was leaning against the table leg, with eyes closed, and shaking her head slowly from side to side. Zoro, who had his hands behind his back and looking closely at the table cloth and "Hmm..-ing" to himself.
"Well, you have made a mark in my record book." He said finally, bending down to her level.
Tashigi opened her eyes and saw him as four Zoro's. She quickly closed them again.
"NO! One of you is enough!"
"Okay... Anyway," Zoro began, with confused look on his face. "Besides Luffy, I have never seen anyone eat like that."
"I thought you said I made it in you book." She said, eyes still closed.
"Yeah, well, no one will ever beat Luffy. Not even a bear. Trust me, I've seen them compete."
Both of them began to laugh, but Tashigi stopped quickly. Was she falling for him? A pirate? She looked at him and smiled. She was. She was falling for a pirate that she hoped was falling for her as well. She looked at his lips, and her heart began to pound in her ears. He was still laughing and she knew she wanted thoes lips to want her.
She felt a tear drop roll down the coner of her eyes and saw it fall in her pants as they soaked in the water.
Though she was crying, she hid her chokes with laughs. Zoro looked her and saw her eyes open in the sun light. He saw the beautiful glow that they reflected into his own eyes. He had loved her ever since their battle in Louge Town. He wasn't sure if it was because she looked like Kuina or if it was just because he wanted to get to her better. He was possived that Kuina had something to with their meeting. Of maybe it was just his stupid imagination. He looked away form Tashigi for he was now caught in his own thoughs.
Zoro's PoV-
Her smile is so beatiful. Why did we have to meet in a such a horrible way. Fighting. That's what I've been doing all my life and look where it got me. Heh. Yeah, look where it got me... here with her.
Tashigi's PoV-
Just keep laughing. If you don't, he'll see the tears in your eyes and wonder. If he wonders why your crying, then you'll have to explian that you love him. No, just keep laughing. Wait, he's not laughing anymore.
Normal PoV-
Tashigi turned her head as Zoro leaned towards her and locked his lips with hers. His lips were dry but what did it matter? She was having a kiss... with a guy she turely loved. His hands reached her chin and he pulled away.
The Marine was still in shaken by the kiss, but never the less, spoke the repeated question.
"What's wrong?"
"Damnit." He cursed, looking at the sky. He turned to Tashigi once again. "Your almost wake and your close to us. When you see The Merry Go, look for me." The glared at the sky again, as Tashigi listened to his words closely. "Take this." He said giving her Kuina's sword.
"But this is..."
"I have no use for it anymore. Just take it for real when you find us...promise?"
Tashigi was lost his deep black eyes and she nodded. He was full of hope and his voice sounded like a last wish. He looked her hugged her with all his might as she faded from his arms.
"Hey girl wake up!" shouted a voice as a gallen of sea water was thrown on her.
She gasped awake and looked over the side of her little boat and saw it was bumping against a dock with each wave that rolled under her. She had hit land while she was asleep. She looked at the man who had thrown water on her and glared. Damn fisherman. (I have nothing against fishermen either She got up and out of her boat and punched him on the back of the neck.
"That's for wakeing me up dearing the most imporant dream of my life!" She yelled. "Now, " she said in a more calm way. "have you seen a pirate ship with a straw hat on it?"
The man pointed shakely to a deep black cove only about 3 miles away. Tashigi smiled and said happily "Thank you."
At the cove-
Her boat crashed with the unseen rocks down below and so she had to swim the rest of 400 meters. She walked onto land and fell on her back, breathing heavily working her muscles so hard.
After about 15 minutes of looking up at the sky, she got up and looked around the cove and studied the land. She walked up a hill, and looked down. It was beautiful place. Full of trees that would all take it's own turn blowing in the wind. Huge mountians that she thought would never be explored. And hills of grass that would flicker bits of yellow every time the wind would blow them towards the sunlight. She looked to her left,and saw The Merry Go, bouncing on the bank of the sand. She had come from the far right of the island and so it was natural she wouldn't see them.
She ran down the sand hill that she was standing. Her hair was still extremely wet and dirty, but as she ran, it felt like it was dry and just washed. Her feet would glade on the sand as she ran on tip toes. Pieces of sand got caught between her toes, but fell out as soon as her foot touched the ground. She stopped as soon as she arrvied at the ship and climbed up the rope latter and jumped onto the deck.
The Marine girl saw half of the ship burnt to a crisp. The only remains was part of the kitchen, the sail and the half she was standing on.
"Zoro!" She called out. There was a creak in the kitchen door as the a soft breeze blew it open. Without knowing it, Tashigi found herself running to it and swinging it open. Her eyes widened as she saw Zoro's once green hair, tainted with a light crimson color. His back was faceing up and his arms were wrapped around something that he treasured most.
Tashigi ran to his side and stuck her hand out and stopped at his back. Should she turn him over? What the hell. She thought and truned his body over. His loosened and there was a thud with what Zoro was holding onto.
Luffy's hair shook as the rest of his body did. His eyes were wide and full of fear that it almost seemed like they were shakey themselves. His arms were crossed and his hands held his shoulders. He turned over to his side, still shakeing.
"Luffy.. What happened?" Tashigi asked.
Luffy had no speech. All you could hear from him were shakeing gasps of breath. Tashigi couldn't blame him though. She looked at him more carefully and saw blood smeers all over his arms and somach.
"H..e sa...ved .. me." Luffy said. He was still shakeing so his words were choppy.
"What?" Tashigi asked.
"Zoro... saved.. me. With.. his own...life." He managed to say more clearly.
Tashigi looked at Zoro and saw cuts and stabs along his chest. His shirt was brunt and his back was showing with deep skin burns. His face had no life in it. Tashigi looked long and hard. She never thought that a human could look so unreal, when they died. She reached her hand over, and touched his face, she jerked it back. It felt like icy cold rubber. She turned back to Luffy, who was bented down on his knees, leaning against the door way.
"Na... Nami!" He called out, almost falling to flat to his face. He caught himself with his right arm, as he let out a gasp of pain.
"How long have you been like this?" Asked Tashigi, still looking at Zoro.
"Nami! Nami where are you!" He would continue to cry out, not listening to Tashigi's words. Sobbs formed in his voice and in his eyes.
Tashigi lisented to the pain and love in his voice. She looked at him, and saw that he was getting up, and stumbleing over his own feet. Tears began to form in her own eyes as she looked back to Zoro. Her bottom lip began to shake and her eyes burned from new tears that began to form in the coners of her eyes and rolled down her face. Looking at her lover's lips, they still looked like the lips she kissed in her dream.
"Luffy.." She said, still looking down at Zoro's face. She looked back to Luffy, but he was still calling 'Nami's' name. She got up and touched him on the shoulder.
Luffy looked back and his eyes cleared and a smile shout across his face.
"Nami!" He shouted, tears steamring down his face again. He hugged Tashigi and kissed her lips as he would Nami.
Tashigi felt like she was betraying Zoro. She tired to pull away, but Luffy wouldn't let her. Finally, she tripped his feet and he fell to his knees.
"Luffy, kill me." She said suddenly, wiping her lips with her wet sleeve.
Luffy looked at her with an odd look. His eyes suddenly had fear and saddness in them. Tashigi knew that he saw he still saw Nami. Tashigi looked away.
"Don't look at me like that." She demanded, crossing her arms. "I'm not Nami. But can..." She looked down at her shirt and saw crimson liquid running through the threads of her shirt just below her breast. She fell to one knee and looked at Luffy who was holding a gun.
"Nobody tells me Nami-chan's dead... expect for Nami-chan." His voice was full of hate and anger. Tashigi wondered if this was the real Luffy she had heard about. He dropped the gun and ran the other way, still calling Nami's name in dispear.
Tashigi looked over to Zoro's body again and crawled and knew it wouldn't be long before her heart would give up trying to pump blood. She laided her head down on Zoro's somach, Kuina's sword in her right hand.
"Thank you Luffy." She wispered, knowing her time was short. "I'll see you soon Zoro-kun..."